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Traveling to Bloomington

Located about an hour south of Indianapolis, Bloomington is nestled in the beautiful rolling hillsides of southern Indiana and serves as home to one of the nation’s most beautiful college campuses, Indiana University. The following links will give you more information on the city of Bloomington and Indiana University.

Flying to Bloomington

Round-trip transportation from the Indianapolis International Airport to Bloomington is available through two shuttle companies, GoExpress Shuttle and Star of America and can be purchased online in advance. Transportation may also be arranged by Limousine through Classic Touch Limousine.

If you have any questions or concerns about travel, please don't hesitate to contact us through e-mail at musicsp@indiana.edu or by phone at (812) 855-6025.

Parking On-campus

Visitor Parking: All campus parking is paid parking, please note the following options:

If staying in the dorm, then one D permit is available at no charge to park in any dormitory lot. D permits may be picked up on arrival at the reception desk in Willkie Dorm.

Visitor Permits are available on the online workshop application for $11 per week to park at the Jordan parking garage, located across from the MAC. Parking permits should be ordered online and will be received at registration or check-in.

**Note: Disabled Permits (H) are available. Please order your permit on the online application for your program and then call the Office of Pre-College and Summer Programs (812-855-6025) to specify the type you need.**

If you are staying off campus and you do not wish to purchase the weekly permit:

Garages: The garages closest to the music school are the Atwater Garage and the Jordan Garage (top level only). These garages charge hourly rates, with a maximum of $24.00/day, or a maximum $6.00 charge if you enter after 5pm. All garages are free on Saturdays and Sundays.*Please note: garages have labeled A, C or R permit parking spots on lower levels—this is reserved parking and you will be ticketed and towed during applicable hours.*

Parking regulations on the Indiana University campus are in effect year-round. Every available parking lot, scooter/motorcycle parking section and bicycle rack requires a properly displayed permit issued by the IU Parking Operations office located in the Henderson Parking Garage. See Maps below for parking lot and parking garage locations and Permit requirements.

Housing

On-Campus

On-campus housing is available at Willkie Graduate Residence Hall for adult workshops. All rooms are for single occupants and include air conditioning, linens and a semi-private bathroom. The cost per night is $60 (tax included) and must be paid in full at least two weeks before your workshop begins. Please contact the Office of Pre-College and Summer Programs for more information.

Off-Campus

If you choose to live off-campus, it will be your responsibility to find transportation to accommodate your program’s schedule. Bloomington Transit and Indiana University Campus Buses are available near all accommodations. See Buses below for more information.

There are many off-campus accommodation options available in Bloomington. Please visit www.visitbloomington.com for helpful information about finding hotels or contact the hotels listed below that are close to campus and are stops along the Bloomington Shuttle line.

Dining and Entertainment: What to do in Bloomington

Indiana Memorial Union: One of the largest student unions in the world, with more than 500,000 square feet of restaurants, retail space, and entertainment options. It also houses the IU Bookstore which offers a large amount of Indiana University related clothing and merchandise.
Location: W 7th Street, middle of IU campus (pay parking lot)

Soma Cafe: This locally-owned cafe is a favorite among Jacobs School of Music students, featuring everything from hot chocolate and coffee drinks to bubble tea and treats.
Location: Jordan Avenue and 3rd Street intersection, in the Jordan Square Plaza

Ami Japanese Restaurant: One of three Asian fusion restaurants right across from the music buildings, it features outdoor seating and daily featured discount periods!
Location: 3rd Street, just east of Jordan Avenue.

Mother Bear’s Pizza: One of Bloomington’s favorite pizza restaurants. Once named by People magazine as the 4th best pizza in the United States.
Location: 3rd Street, just east of Jordan Avenue.

College Mall: A hangout for all students and Bloomington residents, this mall features a variety of restaurants, department stores and great restaurants for a night on the town!
Location: E 3rd Street and College Mall Road.Driving distance from IU Campus: 5 minutes

Some places to see while in town:

The Kirkwood Observatory, built in 1900, is named for Daniel Kirkwood, a noted mathematician and astronomer. Its original telescope is a 12-inch refractor that is capable of magnifying 600 times. The observatory is open to the public during the warm summer months.

Wonders in the Lilly Library vary in age and type from a Babylonian cuneiform tablet to the New Testament of the Gutenberg Bible, from Shakespeare's First Folio to richly illuminated manuscripts, and from an extensive Abraham Lincoln collection to the personal papers of Orson Welles and Sylvia Plath. Housing more than 400,000 books, 130,000 pieces of sheet music, and approximately 7 million manuscripts, it is especially strong in American and British history and literature. Visit the Lilly Library and see one of the first printed copies of the Declaration of Independence, a comic book collection, or film and television scripts that include the original Star Trek series.

The Jacobs School of Music Musical Arts Center is the main location for IU Jacobs operas, ballets, and band and orchestra concerts. Seating 1,460, the MAC features an acoustically refined auditorium and stage with technical capabilities unrivaled by other schools. Regularly compared to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, the main stage is one of the biggest in the country at 90 feet wide by 60 feet deep. The backstage area occupies more than half the building and provides a state-of-the art theater space for technical work. Custom-designed carpet in the lobby points through a wall of windows to Alexander Calder's last on-site original sculpture, Peau Rouge Indiana, which stands 40 feet tall in the front of the building. The piece was restored on-site in 2007.

No matter what your perspective, you can experience art from all angles at the Indiana University Art Museum. From world-renowned architect I.M. Pei's soaring triangular atrium, to galleries filled with extraordinary works of art from all corners of the globe, the IU Art Museum will engage, stimulate, and satisfy your curiosity about the worlds of art.

The IU Auditorium was completed in 1941. An extensive restoration was completed in 1999. The art deco-style auditorium seats 3,154 and is a major venue for year-round entertainment. It houses a large pipe organ and 16 panels of the Thomas Hart Benton murals that depict the social history of Indiana. The murals were first exhibited in the Indiana hall at Chicago’s Century of Progress Exposition in 1933.

The Showalter Fountain is a two-tone sculpture that portrays the birth of Venus surrounded by six 400 pound dolphins. Located in front of the IU Auditorium, the fountain was designed and created by Robert Laurent. During his time as resident sculptor at the American Academy in Rome, he fashioned the six bronze sculptures and then had them sent to Bloomington by plane in 1958. Commissioned by University Chancellor Herman B Wells, Showalter Fountain was dedicated in 1961. Mr. Laurent was a faculty member in the IU Department of Fine Arts.